SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT ON GHOST HUNTING....

It seems to be a universal concept among cultures of the world, that we are of immortal spirit. The "Higher power", whoever that may be or whatever we call him or her, supposedly gave us that immortal spirit. Out of respect for that we should hold reverence for life, this one and the next and respect all things spiritual and sacred . I am one of those old fashioned types who believes in the Creator and that he did indeed, give us an immortal spirit. Because of my belief system, I tend to think that we are showing some real disrespect to the creator and the spirit world as well, these days. I do not think, that we are not meant to interact with the world of spirits, but I do think, it should be viewed and undertaken as a spiritual thing and not a mode of entertainment, science experiment or some frivolous adventure. Furthermore, I feel that we should let spirit seek us out, not seek them out by ghost hunting or spirit summoning, harassment etc.

I don't think it was ever supposed to be a recreational pastime where money exchanges hands, tickets are purchased and people then invade a historical place to look for and harass spirits. This applies especially to places that serve as ghost hunting venues, where people spent the worst times of their corporeal lives: such as hospitals, jails, asylums etc. To go to these places trying to dredge up bad memories by summoning spirits there is just morally and spiritually wrong.

I think that this is a very bad trend and that it may have some serious ramifications for us on a spiritual level. This trend has become the new theme park type attractions with many places being opened up for paid ticket ghost hunting. I feel this is a sign of a spiritually bankrupt society to be honest. There have always been people who communicated with the dead, but it was at one time a spiritual endeavor and not a profession for monetary gain, or a hunt for random spirits, in order to entertain ourselves, or satisfy our need to know everything and measure everything in the name of science.

Years ago we held grave sites sacred and considered it sacrilege to disturb them. We prayed for those who passed over and revered them. Communication from the dead to the living was considered rare and a gift in a way, that we did not take lightly or with blatant disregard. Now it has become the latest and most prolific form of entertainment. It has become big business! Just think about that for a moment. People pay to go on these organized ghost hunts at places like the Waverly, in hopes of having an experience with a spirit. Some do it for entertainment, some to try and find some proof of our afterlife existence, that would serve to validate their faith in the afterlife and all things spiritual. No matter what the purpose a person has for doing this, it is still an uninvited harassment to the spirits that dwell in that space. What of those who do have an experience at one of these events? Does it serve to validate their faith and provide a revelation that makes them view life differently and really change the way they govern their lives? Or, does it just serve as a cheap thrill that they will pay for and return to recapture again and again?

What happened at the Waverly Hills sanitarium was a real life nightmare for the people who lived and died there. Are we honoring them and their spirits by selling tickets to go in and rehash it all for them? Or are we disturbing them and their right to peace? At the bottom line of this sort of thing is money, for the people who organize and exploit these places and the spirits who dwell there. Should we be exploiting the dead? Does this seem like something God had intended for us to do? We have never really had a need to "hunt" the dead, as if they want to communicate with us they find a way. Sometimes it is benevolent and sometimes it is hostile but from the dawn of time, man has been aware of the presence of spirit around him. Some have been fascinated by spirits, some have a real fear of them and now more than ever, some just pass it off as the imagination and hysteria of ignorant and primitive minded people.

Today there are thousands of people out there claiming to be paranormal investigators. Most are just fly by night thrill seekers who know little to nothing about the subject but emulate the para celebrities they watch on Tv shows. Some seek to investigate it, only to debunk and disprove it so they can go on trying to convince others that there is no higher power than man and that this life is all there is. Some seek to prove the afterlife to use it to promote their own religious beliefs or religious fear in the case of the demon cryers. I think the current craze with the paranormal has come about for many reasons. One of those reasons, may very well be society's desire, to get back to spiritual concerns at a time when things have become very bad and people actually fear the end of the world by our own hands. Maybe people are looking for a reason to believe, in a God that could somehow save us if we change our ways. Sadly, it seems more apparent to me that the craze is booming because it is being taken as a source of entertainment that packs the ultimate thrill. This is what really bothers me the most.

Money is being made on many levels from TV shows, to movies, convention venues, ghost tours, you name it. Now we even have many classes being offered to teach people how to go out and hunt the dead. What? I am inclined to think that in this life, we are supposed to be concentrating more on living this life ,rather than spending all our time trying to delve into the next one. How much is too much when it comes to this craze? We have psychic mediums who charge hundreds of dollars to help us connect with our dead relatives, and we pay it, out of desperation and naivety. Again money comes into play, no surprise. Bottom line though is "You can not buy a spiritual experience!"

When I started delving into the paranormal seeking answers for what I went through with a bad haunt back in New Jersey, back in 1974, hauntings were pretty rare. given that fact there was not much information out there about this phenomenon. I figured out that the best means of resolving my problem was to treat the entity like a person and try communicating and reasoning with her. This actually, in time worked and the experience with this lady went from a nightmare of tremendous proportion to a peaceful and even beneficial relationship. I learned early on that ghosts were still people and responded very well, to the same methods used to deal with people. I took a very human approach to a supernatural situation and still do so to this day.

There are some people who will say I am a hypocrite to criticize the paranormal field since I am a paranormal investigator myself. As I have said many times, I am not a ghosthunter, never have been. I go out to help those who are having a problem with spirits in their home. I am a haunts resolutionist. I go out as a mediator, a counselor and even a detective of sorts. I try to find out who is seeking to interact and why, give them a chance to communicate, and then try to proceed from there to resolve the problem for both sides. When a spirit reaches out to people on this plane there is "always" a reason. Sometimes important information is being relayed, or some one is in need of something to find closure on some level, whether it be the living or the dead person, involved.

I have noticed in the past five years that hauntings seem to have increased. I believe in the idea, that what goes on on this plane reflects and affects what goes on , on the next as well. The more we reach out to those on the other side with this current fad, the more that some, on the other side will seek to do the same with us. Unfortunately some of those who have decided to reach out and join the game are not the most elevated spirits in the first place, and shallow endeavors attract shallow companions. Many of the spirits who are haunting these days are doing so out of the desire to cling to this world and interact with it, in the same frivolous or entertaining manner as we are, in our efforts to interact with them. This is not necessarily a good thing, for all concerned. More elevated and enlightened spirits have a higher agenda than just playing with us. So, most of the spirits who do seek to play our game are not the most benevolent or enlightened people, and sometimes they are the most rancid members of the other world. So to those who seek out ghosts and spirits, I offer the old adage.."Be careful what you wish for." Even benevolent spirits are getting sick of the ghost hunters and may attempt to teach them the error of their ways here and there also, which is of course perceived by the ghost hunters as evil spirits.

I think we need to sit back and reevaluate our stand on the paranormal craze. If we are seeking spirit in earnest for spiritual purpose then we should know that if we are to be gifted with a communication from the other side, that it will be and should be a spiritual thing. a sacred thing, something to be respected and appreciated with a humble gratitude. It is certainly not something you can buy tickets to, or attain for any price, anywhere. I am not saying that people should not seek answers to the afterlife or seek to communicate with their loved ones. What I am saying is that the craze which has come about is a bad thing, from a spiritual standpoint and that directly because of that condition, no real learning or enlightenment will come of it.

Everyone who buys tickets to ghost hunts and such keeps that craze alive and keeps the shallow movement of that practice alive. In the end there will a be a price to pay for this movement of disrespect and immoral commercialism Do you really want to be a part of that? The shows on TV nowadays are billed as "reality" shows.. I think they serve to show the reality of our spiritual decline as a society, and maybe a reality check of how far we have fallen from any reverence for the very thing that is our essence. They certainly are not representative of the reality of the spirit world I have seen, nor what actually goes on with it. They are about paracelebrities, and they promote events that make money. They are not documentaries, and are offering no real answers to anything concerning the afterlife. After all, the afterlife is God's territory and the TV stations nor the media, hold no sway there whatsoever.

Let's put a stop to the craze and get back to really seeking answers for the sake of spiritual advancement rather than shallow entertainment or egotistical science advances. The veil "is" thinning folks and it is our doing. With all this talk about the end of days, and all the ways and reasons it may come about, this may very well be one of our biggest and most audacious trespasses to date, that may very well contribute to our own downfall. This may be the final insult to our Creator and our ancestors, that becomes the straw that broke the camel's back. Of course who am I to warn or advise on such things. I am not a paid actor or actress billed as a para-celebrity on a TV show. I do not go to commercial events signing autographs, seeking fame and fortune. I am just a real spirit researcher with 37 years in speaking from my own observations and things learned directly from spirit communication. But what if................just what if i am right? Just food for thought....